More than fifteen companies engaged in the development of major public infrastructures from the different parts of the Asia-Pacific had signified their intention to challenge the company that will be granted by the city government the Original Proponent Status (OPS) for the multi-billion development of the city public market.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña, chairman of the city’s Public-Private Partnership for the People (P4) Screening Committee, said that the companies that already got in touch with the city are eager to participate in the Swiss challenge, one of the processes enshrined in the P4 ordinance to ascertain the best proposal for the development of the market.
He added it will now be up to Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong to decide whether or not one of the city’s big ticket projects will push through as doubts had been raised on the recent action of the majority of the P4 Screening Committee members to grant the OPS to Robinsons Land Corporation which had complete documents but whose substance was under question.
The city administrator disclosed that if the mayor will approve the outcome of the P4 Screening Committee granting the OPS to Robinsons, then negotiations between the city government and the company will proceed in the next 45 days for the finalization of the terms of reference for the project.
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However, dela Peña claimed that if the mayor will disapprove the committee decision, then the process will be over for the proposed market development project.
According to him, the P4 Screening Committee can still look into other available options for the proposed market development pursuant to the city’s P4 ordinance but there will be delays in the projected timeframe for the realization of the project.
Earlier, 5 members of the P4 Screening Committee favored the granting of the OPS to Robinsons, 2 members voted for the grant of the OPS to SM Prime Holdings while 2 members abstained.
He explained that if the ongoing process will push through, the agreed terms of reference for the market development will be published and subjected to the so-called Swiss challenge for all interested developers wanting to provide the city with a much better offer but the company that was granted with the OPS will still be given the chance to match the best offer presented by any challenger.
Dela Peña stated he will forward all the documentary requirements passed upon by the P4 Screening Committee to the City Mayor for his perusal and appropriate action and that they will await the verdict of city chief executive to guide the committee’s next move on the matter.
One of the present administration’s 15-point collective agenda is for the city to have a modernized public market as the city’s show window for the local tourism industry as the proposed market development in the past had been stalled because of the cases filed by interest groups against the said plan.
By Dexter A. See
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